aberthet Loc: San Clemente, CA

While digitizing old 35mm strips of B&W negative film using the ES-2 Film Digitizing Adapter, my D850 suddenly froze. I couldn’t even turn it off. A warning message was flashing “Err” on the top LCD display. I researched this issue on the Nikon site, but besides trying to swap batteries there were no other ways to fix the problem, except to send it for repair. Nikon describes this error message as a hardware issue that cannot be fixed by resetting the camera, which I couldn’t even try because nothing was working anymore.

I’m interested to hear from members who may have experienced this hardware failure and how much Nikon charged them for the repair, assuming their camera was out of warranty.

Below is the configuration I was using:

2018 Nikon D850 with ~ 5000 shutter actuations
ES-2 Film Digitizing adapter
AF Micro NIKKOR 60mm f: 2.8 D (lens set on Manual focus)
D850 body set to Manual focus
Exposure Mode set to Manual
Focusing from “Live view” with MC (monochrome) selected
Remote shutter actuation via the Nikon WR-R10 + WR-T10
Prior to starting taking pictures I performed a Clean Image Sensor.

At least one good news, I just found out that Nikon still has a repair center located in Signal Hill, Southern California, which is ~ 45 miles north of where I live. I had read somewhere that Nikon had closed all their repair centers in the US except for one located in New York State, well that was wrong.

twowindsbear

What does Nikon say about cost for repair?

Bill_de Loc: US

Did you remove the lens?

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aberthet Loc: San Clemente, CA

They will only give you a quote after they receive the camera. I won't be able to send it before next Tuesday

aberthet Loc: San Clemente, CA

Yes I did.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

If you use "Quote Reply" we can follow to whom you are replying.

Bill_de Loc: US

So far this was easy to folllow.

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Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I did make an assumption.

But my comment still stands, and I stand behind it.

aberthet Loc: San Clemente, CA

Will do. Thank you for letting me know.

aberthet Loc: San Clemente, CA

Yes I did. However, the Err message persisted.

aberthet Loc: San Clemente, CA

I found the problem by doing a Google search. It seems most Err issues are caused by bad contact between the lens gold contacts and the camera contacts.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Getting+an+Err+message+on+my+Nikon+camera&oq=Getting+an+Err+message+on+my+Nikon+camera&aqs=chrome..69i57.14489j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_D6ynY8ugKriYkPIPjLCHwAU_37

jlg1000 Loc: Uruguay / South America

If this is correct (waiting for your confirmation) it would be another example of what I call "Malicious Offuscated Error Threat"

The D850 has a sofisticated computer inside and a capable LCD screen... It could write "Err: Check lens contacts" or something like that.

But, they choose to offuscate the problem so you are forced to seek repair services by the vendor itself.

Many companies do that... For example, my Epson printer will flash the status LEDs after exactly 6500 prints, and the manual states that that LED dance means "Hardware error, send to Epson for service" which costs about 50% of the printer's value... Of course, each time that happens, I simply reset the counter and it keeps happily printing. Did so 5 times already with no problems.

BurghByrd Loc: Pittsburgh

I presume at this point you've removed the battery and also the lens to try and clear the problem. Somewhere in my foggy memory banks I recollect that a pencil eraser was an effective way to clean electrical contacts. Have you tried that and was it effective?

Carl S

I agree with several posts that error codes could and should be more specific, especially given the capability of modern cameras. It reminds me of the 'check engine' light on a vehicle: mine came on, and I opened the hood to find that I still had an engine! With the capability of the modern vehicle, they could be specific, and maybe even show of video of how to fix the darn thing!

photoman43

If you send the D850 to Nikon, send the 60mm lens too. Regarding cleaning the contacts, rea this from Nikonusa:

https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/eu/BV_article?articleNo=000006511&configured=1&lang=en_GB

https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/eu/BV_article?articleNo=000005282&lang=en_GB